Instructor Class Description

Advanced Media Production Workshop

Provides focused study and production in a specific area of media arts and practice. Recommended: BISMCS 343.

Class description

Visual Storytelling
Documentaries, PSAs, music videos, ten-second commercials - how do these short-format visuals convey a message? One effective way is through story telling. This course is an exploration of new media in the construction of narratives - as visual tools for communicating information, whether in the form of data based on field research or creative expressions drawn from personal experiences. In small teams and as individuals, students will think about and tell their own visual stories with campus resources available, including use of the Digital Media Lab (DML) UW2-121. Theoretical and practical readings, plus in-class review of examples of photography, film, video, hypertext and other short- and long-form visual media will provide the basis for class discussions, but significant time will be reserved for critical and constructive feedback on original student projects as they progress.

Students are expected to have varying degrees of knowledge and proficiency with media tools, and with previous experience in basic video production (egs, BISMCS 234, BISMCS343); and workshop sessions are designed with this in mind. More advanced media students are encouraged to use the workshop sessions to continue working on their projects independently, though all requirements must be fulfilled in order to complete the course. The DML is a Mac lab and supports Adobe and Mac-based programs (Adobe CS, iLife, FCP).

Student learning goals

To explore the following questions:
--What makes short-format media effective (or not)?
--What kind of information is best conveyed in short-format media?
--How does short-format media tell a story?

To learn to construct effective descriptions and analyses of visual narratives

To analyze rhetorical and aesthetic strategies of visual narratives

To further develop proficiency and skills in digital video production with campus resources available

The information above is intended to be helpful in choosing courses. Because the instructor may further develop his/her plans for this course, its characteristics are subject to change without notice. In most cases, the official course syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class.
Last Update by Samuel M. Yum
Date: 07/29/2013

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Modified:April 23, 2014